MoDOT Closes Public Comment Period

COLUMBIA - The public comment period for the Missouri Department of Transportation's Moving Forward project closed at 5 on Thursday evening.

On June 13, MoDOT released its draft project list to the public for feedback. The projects could be completed if voters pass Amendment 7.

Amendment 7, which Missouri residents will see on the ballot this August, will ask voters to decide on a temporary three-quarters of a cent sales tax increase.

"MoDOT's role in this initiative is to tell Missourians the projects that we would be able to accomplish, should they pass Amendment 7 on August 5th," said Sally Oxenhandler, MoDOT Central District's customer relations manager.

Since June 13, MoDOT has been hosting open houses across Missouri in an attempt to give the public a chance to take a look at the projects and provide feedback. There were four open houses in mid-Missouri.

MoDOT also offered residents the option to provide feedback online.

"Most of the feedback we got was through our website. We tried to tackle it from a variety of avenues and get folks to provide us with what they think," said Oxenhandler.

Oxenhandler said MoDOT received several hundred comments from throughout the state, and probably more than 100 from the central region.

"We were pleased with the feedback. Those are the types of comments we wanted to hear from the public and all of them will be considered as we move forward with developing the final list," said Oxenhandler.

MoDOT will send a final project list and the public comments to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission on July 9th for its consideration and approval.

If Amendment 7 is approved in August, the funding will become available in January 2015. MoDOT would set a schedule for the projects immediately.

"We know that we're prepared to work quickly should we get the funding to move forward with tackling these important projects," said Oxenhandler.